File folder



Oct. 2l, 1947. H. s. MEYER FILE FOLDER Filed Sept. 9. 1944 Patented Oct. 21, 1947 FILE FOLDER Howard G. Meyer, Long Island City, N. Y., assignor to Acco Products, Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 9, 1944, Serial No. 553,427

7 Claims. (Cl. 129-25) The invention relates to the art of book binding, and more particularly to improvements in loose leaf filing folders of a kind including covers and a back associated in such manner as to enable the lethickness to bel increased or decreased without impairing the-usefulness or appearance of the back which is primarily intended to bear data identifying the contents of the book.

Records, such as letters or other loose papers or the like, usually are best preserved when arranged in stacks and securely bound together in le folders of the character to which the present invention pertains. Common practice heretofore has been to provide a loose leaf le folder, including upper and lower covers only, provided with means to enable record sheets to be added to or removed from the stack bound therebetween easily and quickly. Such known types of le folders, however, frequently are entirely devoid of any means to cover the back of the stack and in such known instances where some such means is provided the back covering hangs loosely over the back of the stack so as to allow for progressive increase in the stack thickness. Other known types of le folders are provided with a taut back,in which instance such back is applied to the le folder only after a stackhas been built up to its maximum thickness and th'e file is to be stored .among `volumes of similarly bound les for occasional reference only. Hence they are unsuited for use in current files.

The present invention therefore is concerned with the construction of a loose leaf file folder embodying a novel back and the construction thereof, adapting it for use either as a current flle folder or a permanently bound volume and one which, in either instance of use, presents a smooth back so as to facilitate the entry of such identifying data as may be necessary to identify the contents thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive binder or file folder, including covers and a back, for loose sheets which may be conveniently added to or removed from the folder and one in which the back may be easily and conveniently, adjusted to compensate for variations in the le thickness.

Another ol ject is to provide a novel le folder of a kind including hinge flaps for receiving binders to secure a stack of sheets therebetween and in which a back for such stack, firmly attached to one of said covers, is capable of being readily adjusted at will with relation to the other cover so as to remain taut irrespective of the thickness of the stack of sheets.l l

Another object is to provide a le folder of the character referred to herein, which is easy and inexpensive to manufacture, simple to use and highly practical and eiiicient while in use.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which by way of illustration shows a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof, and which is considered to be the best mode contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention, embodying the same or equivalent principle, may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a le folder embodying features of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the back of the file folder, showing parts broken away to illustrate the detailed construction thereof, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the covers separated.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of the covers.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the disclosure in the accompanying drawing, the file folder includes upper and lower covers II and I2 and a back I3. The covers II and I2 are each fashioned from a sheet of substantially stiff material, such as pressboard or the like, so as to be shape-retaining and thereby provide a substantially rigid covering for a stack of sheets I4 which is bound therebetween in a manner to be described presently.

A narrow strip of like material is arranged at Y one end of the upper cover II and said strip is attached thereto in any suitable manner, such as by a strip of fabric or like material (not shown), so as to provide a hinge connection along a line I6, as best shown in Fig. 4, whereby the strip I5 may be folded freely relative to the upper cover II. The strip I5 is provided with spaced apertures I'I to receive the free ends of prongs I8 formed on the ends of a base element I9 carried, in a. manner to be described presently, on a flap generally indicated at 20 hingedly connected at 2I to the lower cover I2. The flap 20 on the lower cover I2 is in the present instance fashioned of two strips of material 22 and 23 which strips also preferably are formed of pressboard or other substantially stiff material.

As best illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the strips 22 and 23 and the connecting hinge 2| are best formed by arranging the strips 22 and 23 one upon the other adjacent an edge of the lower cover I2, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 and then wrapping a strip of fabric or the like 2A over and around both faces and the edges of the complemental margin of the lower cover I2 and of the outwardly disposed faces of the strips 22 and 23. The fabric strip is adhesively secured'in place. It will be observed that the llapstlipsl and 23 are thereby connected to each other only by that portion of the fabric strip 2d which overv lies their ends as at 25. The fabric strip 24. on one face only of the lower cover I2 is then suit` ably severed along the entire length ofthe coni.- plernental edges of said flap strips and cover as at 2Ia so that the flap strips may be folded upwardly and inwardly as a unit to overlie the upper face of the lower cover I2. Thus it will be observed that the lower cover .I2 is provided with a hinge flap 20 consisting of two thicknesses of material, one of which is intended to serve as a mounting strip for a fastener element.

As bestV illustrated in Fig. 5, suitable spaced apertures 26 are provided in the mounting strip 22 so as to freely receive the prongs IB therethrough when the base portion I9 of the fastener clement is inserted between the strips 22 and 23. As assembled, the prongs IS are disposed substantially at right angles to the plane of the lower cover I2 so as to be freely threaded through similarly spaced perforations in the plurality of sheets constituting the sta-ck Iii whereupon the projecting ends of the prongs I8 are extended through the apertures I'l in the upper cover flap I5. The extending end portions of the prongs I8 then are folded downwardly inwardly towards each other yover the top face of the flap I5 and they may be secured in such folded position by a keeper plate 21 of any conventional construction, whereupon the stack of sheets is tightly bound between the flaps I5 and 26. Obviously the upper and vlower covers II and l2 may be moved relative to the stack into an open or a closed position about their respective hinges I5 and 2i. Sheets may be added to or removed from the stack Id upon separation of the keeper plate from the prongs and removal of the upper cover I I.

It is one of the purposes of the present invention 4that the Ble folder described be provided with a suitable backing i3 of a kind which will remain Ataut at all times irrespective of the thickness of the stack of sheets I4 therein contained. To this end, one edge cf the backing I3, which is formed yof a sheet of flexible material, such as linen or the like, is adhesively or otherwise secured as at 28 to the top face of the upper cover II. The free end thereof is then carried downwardly across the back of the stack and is threaded through the space 29 provided between the mounting strip 22 and flap strip 23 of the lower flap 20. It should be evident that the free end of the back sheet I3 may readily be grasped after having been passed through the space 2S and be drawn tightly into the interior of the file folder so that that portion thereof which extends across the back of the stack will be taut. Such tautness of the back I3 is maintained by irictional binding between the strips 22 and 23 inducedby `the weight of the stackof sheets I4 whichrests thereupon.

It should be evident, further, that as the thickness of the stack I4 increases, upon repeated additions of sheets thereto, the back I3 may be progressively withdrawn so as to compensate for the increased thickness without at any time sagging, wrinkling or otherwise presenting an unpleasing appearance. When sheets are removed from the stack, the back I3 is drawn taut by grasping the free end thereof and drawing it into the le folder.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed herein, it should be understood that the invention is capable of embodying a variety of modifications in details of .construction without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I Claim! 1. In a loose leaf binder, a cover sheet, an elongated strip hingedly connected along one edge to an edge of the cover sheet and adapted to overlie said sheet, a mounting strip overlying and firmly connected at its ends to the ends of said elongated strip, a fastener element carried by said mounting strip, said fastener element including spaced prongs adapted to be threaded through similarly spaced apertures in a stack of sheets, a second cover sheet including a hinge flap on an edge of the cover, said flap being apertured to receive the prongs therethrough when said cover sheet islald on top of said stack of sheets, and a flexible sheet secured at an edge along an edge of said second cover sheet adapted to extend across the back of the stack of sheets, the free end portion of said Vliexible sheet being inserted between and fric- ,having its free end portion extending between the two thicknesses constituting the other flap.

y3. In a loose leaf book, in combination. a pair .of covers applied to opposite sides of a stack of sheets, a flap .on each cover, `a fastening device for securing the flap of Veach cover to the stack, one of said naps consisting of two like strips connectedtogether at their ends only, the other flap consisting of a single strip of material, and a back forming sheet secured to the cover having the nap Yof single material thickness extending across the back of the stack and having its free margin inserted between the two strips of the other ap, said free margin being frictionally retained by said two strips.

4. In a loose leaf book, in combination, a pair of covers applied to opposite sidesof a stack of sheets, a hinge ap on each cover, a mounting `strip on one of said flaps, a fastening device carried by said mounting strip engageable with the stack and .withthe ap on the other cover to secure the covers to the stack, and a back forming sheet secured to said other cover extending across the back of the stack of sheets, the free end of said back'forming .sheet extending betweenthe mounting strip and itsrelated flap. said mounting ,strip .and .its related flap frictionally retaining the .back forming sheet taut across the back of ythe stack.

.5. In a loose leaf binder, a cover sheet, an elongated strip hingedly connected along one edge to an edge of the cover sheet and adapted to overlie said sheet, a mounting strip overlying and firmly connected at its ends to the ends of said elongated strip, a fastener element carried by said mounting strip, said fastener element including spaced prongs adapted to be threaded through similarly spaced apertures in a stack of sheets, a second cover sheet including a hinge flap on an edge of the cover, said flap being apertured to receive the prongs therethrough when said cover sheet is laid on top of said stack of sheets, and a flexible sheet secured to said second cover sheet adapted to extend across the back of the stack of sheets, the free end portion of said flexible sheet being inserted between the elongated strip and mounting strip.

6. In a loose leaf book, in combination, a pair of covers applied to opposite sides f a stack of sheets, a flap on each cover, a fastening device for securing the flap of each cover to the stack, one of said flaps consisting of two strips connected together at their ends only, the other flap consisting of a single strip of material, and a back forming sheet carried by the cover having the flap of single material thickness extending across the back of the stack and having its free margin inserted between the two strips of the other flap.

7. In a loose leaf book, in combination, a pair of covers applied to opposite sides of a stack of sheets, a hinge ap on each cover, a mounting strip on one of said aps, a fastening device carried by said mounting strip engageable with the stack and with the flap on the other cover to secure the covers to the stack, and a back forming sheet secured to said other cover extending across the back of the stack of sheets, the free end of said back forming sheet extending between the mounting strip and its related flap.

HOWARD G. MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are 0f record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAI'ENTS 

